Witham Valley Nursery
OutstandingTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in Witham for from 2 years up to 5 year olds, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in September 2022. Open since 2014, with 24 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
All 3 and 4 year olds can universally claim 15 hours of funded childcare. For working parents you can claim 30 hours for 2 year olds and 30 hours for 3 and 4 year olds.
Worth knowing. To claim these hours we would need you to apply on the gov.uk website to obtain a code. We would also require you fill out funding form to enable us to claim your child’s funding.
What childcare usually costs in Essex
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Essex from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
CM8 1HFWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
- 15 July 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 23 September 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thrive and flourish in this inclusive, loving nursery. They look forward to attending each day and come in happily to settle at an exciting activity. Children form unbreakable bonds with staff at the setting. They quickly settle and form lasting friendships with others. Children benefit from a curriculum that encompasses and values their ideas and interests. Children take an interest in role play with pretend food. Staff then add real fruit and vegetables that children can explore using their senses. Experiences are then widened further, by introducing
'juicing'. Children adore squeezing juice out of fruit, tasting and sharing their thoughts on the flavours and sensations.
Children are extremely well behaved and know exactly what is expected of them.
- 23 September 2022Outstanding
- 23 November 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Witham Valley Nursery
- What it costs
- Nappies
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.